Building Control Amendment To Assist Farmers

Chronicle (Levin), 11 August 1949, Page 4

Building Control Amendment To Assist Farmers

An amendment to the Building Emergency Reguladons, 1939, giving 1 local authorities further powers in i the granting of building permits f'or farm outhouse bui'dings, was i received from the Building Control- i ler by the Horowhenua County Council at its meeting yesterday. -j The amendment gave local bodies power to issue permits for the erection of farm buildings not exceeding £500 in value, such as cow sheds, wool sheds, implement sheds ' and piggeries, without ref'erence to the district building controller, subject to the work conforming with local authority by-laws and conditions imposed by the Building Construcflon Control Notice No. 29. The letter further advised that the use of Liles on garage roofs was now permitted. The amendment was stated to come into effect as from August 1 and two copies of the# control notice referred to were' enclpsed for the council's informalion. Th'e letter was received without comment. The New Zealand Institute of Engineers wrote advising that its annual meeting would be held in Wellington from February 14 to February 18 in conjunction with its cechnical conference. The letter added that the rapid development in the science .of engineering at the present iime lent this conference particular importanee as a means of providing opportunities for mutual help and instruction. and r'or the interchanging of new ideas. The council of the institution gratefully aeknowledged ithe past co-operation on the part of employing bodies in enabling their engineers to attend such conferences. Permission was granted the council's engineer to attend any of the ectures if ho sd desired. The Royal Humane Society of New Zealand • wrote enclosing a copy of its annual report and ba.lance shest for the year with a request for a grant. The usual grant of £1 ls was made by the council. The Industrial Plant Allocation committee has allocated the council an ang'c-dozer. This was made known in a letter from the New Zealand Counties' Association. It was stated that the machine was due to arrive in New Zea : and within Ihe next few days. The question of whether or not the council would purchase the machine was referred for urgent consideration to the works committee. A letter was received from the Public Trust Office advising that owing to the limitation of avenues for investment of trust funds, it was necessary to reduce from 3-1- to 31 per cent the rate of interest allowed on moneys held in the common fund. The letter was received without comment. The Manawatu Catchment Boar4 wrote asla'ng ' that ihe council see its way ciear to agree to the use on its road of an overweight vehicle— - an articulated transporter. It was stated that the machine was essential for the .'board as a means of moving its plant quickly in times of flood. The council decided to make a decision in committee after the meeting. The chairman, Mr. A. M. Colquhoun, in moving this, said the council had turned down the board's previous application. Allowing such a heavy vehicle on the road was a big risk for the council to take. The machine had been buflt in Levin and operated here for two years; it was stated, although this was not known to the council at the time. "We wish to thank you for the new culvert at Hokio. It is doing good work and since being installed the pipes have been nearly full for two days. In four days the water in the immediate surrounds went down over a foot. The road li now higti and dry in this area as a result." This was the text of a letter received from Mr. M. F. Upton, Hokio Beach. The engineer, Mr. W. H. Fraser, said the residents had brought to the council's attention flooding difficulties in the area. They had done most of the work in preparation for the pipe put in by the council. The chairman remarked that he was pleased the position was now satisfactory. Drawing the council's attention to flooding in Waikawa Beach Road, a letter was received from Mr. A. S. Drake. The letter stated that the school bus would not come out when the area was flooded. The letter was referred to the works committee for its consideration. In his report, the engineer stated that during the month 17 building permits were issued for work to the value of £5560, bringing the total valp.e for the year to date to £54,503. Foi; the same period last year the total value of building work amounted to £37,621. During the month all sealed roads had been patched where necessary. During the recent storm there had been many small slips and warious places whete -minor flooding occurred. There had been no serious damage. *